One of those days
by SmeeTheRat
Summary: Emma has a bad day. Some curse words, not a lot.
1. Kick my ass!

_Will be a short multi-chapter (2 or 3 chapters). No beta so please forgive and forget any mistakes. OUAT isn't mine._

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It had been one of those days, Emma remembered with a groan as she looked at the stars from her spot on the deck.

She had woken by falling flat on her face after rolling around and right off the bed in her restless sleep, cursing tiredly as she stood up and got dressed, knocking her little toe against the corner of the small desk as she made her way to the door. Hissing from the shooting pain and bending down trying to check her toe, her head hit the door in a loud thump that left her dizzied and landing on her ass with a grunt. _Well shit! Really fucking graceful Emma! _

In the galley during breakfast, she managed to burn a few finger pads and part of her palm while fixing herself some tea and making a grab for the hot kettle in her morning haze. Willing to admit that that one had been her fault, she looked for a towel to wipe the water that had spilled, only to slip and end up on the floor yet again with a yelp. _Floor: 3, Emma: 0. Thank god no one was here to see that, _Emma thought, leaving the galley, giving up on tea for the time being. Heading up on deck she tripped in the staircase and winced as she attempted, and failed, to stop her fall with her burned hand. _Arrgh! Damn! _

In the end, turning around and just going back to bed didn't prove a much better decision. Gold was heading the way she came and spying, or so she guessed, the bump on her forehead as well as her not-so-cheerful face, he made a comment she didn't quite get while disappearing around the corner. It was enough to get her to whip her head around while walking and she slammed against a wall. "_Fuck! Felt THAT" _she muttered as she realized she had walked right past her cabin. _Probably what Gold was trying to tell me, oh well, where was I? Right Bed. _She walked back but as she stood before the door she hesitated, thinking that with her luck, something was bound to happen when she opened it. Her newly sore shoulder suddenly feeling like a warning. So she didn't. Instead she settled on exploring the ship. After all, Hook had encouraged them to get familiar with it. Since they would be sailing towards Neverland for a few more days before actually getting there, she supposed now was as good a time as any.

The tour actually did wonders for her mood. You just didn't see ships like this anymore, not in the world she grew up in anyway. She readily admitted that Hook was right. It really was a marvel. Not that she'd say it to his face.

Eventually, she ended up in the cargo hold and went down to snoop around. Some weapons, supplies, flour bags… nothing really unexpected there. Sighing and intending to go back up on deck, she made her way out of the compartment but lost her grip and fell back down, luckily landing on some pouches. During the climb her top had ridden up her back and sides and as she landed she felt the burning sensation of the rough material from the pouches rubbing harshly against her skin. _Really?_ _Friction burn? Just… really?_

She went limp as she gave up and decided that it was safer not to move for a half hour or so. Exhausted and not having slept much, she eventually drifted to sleep from the smooth rocking of the ship. When she woke, bruised and battered, she finally, for the first time that day, made it up on deck and lied down very carefully to look up at the stars. She must have slept longer than she thought if it was night already. It might have taken her somewhere near 12 hours to walk from her cabin to the deck, _How ridiculous was that?, _but at least she had managed to avoid everyone in the process, as well as all of the bickering. Without even really meaning to. _Emma: 1, Jolly Roger… _she let out a soft chuckle.

_Sixth time on the floor today, at least this time I came down willingly… I need a drink._

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_Okay that was really stressful! After reading fanfics for over a decade on this website, I finally decided to sign up and post a story. In the end it took OUAT for me to work up the guts to try. Guess that just goes to show how Adam and Eddy are doing a wonderful job at inspiring people._

_So that was the first chapter, don't kill me, Hook will be in the next one! I'm all about Captain Swan after all ;)_

_Hope that wasn't too bad. I don't have a beta reader and English isn't my first language. If you want to beta let me know. If you see a mistake that annoys you PM me and I'll make the change._


	2. Tend my wounds

As promised, this chapter is all Captain Swan. OUAT isn't mine.

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The stars were beautiful. One thing was for sure, a view like that couldn't be had in the city. Out here on the Roger, there were no streetlights, no headlights or tail lights and no neon signs. In fact, there was nothing but the dim glow of a lantern that was kept near the helm to allow for map reading and navigating. It was dark enough that even some of the faintest stars could be seen. The Neverland skies were certainly a breathtaking sight to behold and Emma could not remember being treated to a better view in a long time.

So she stayed there, lying down near the bow of the ship and enjoying the show as darkness wrapped itself around her like a black satin sheet. Only darkness couldn't keep a body warm and Emma was coming to that realization. The night's chill had settled itself upon her skin and was steadily seeping through to her bones. Rubbing her arms, her shoulder protested and with a hiss she debated going below deck to get a blanket, the pain reminding her of the day she'd had. She could almost swear that the ship was lashing out at her. _Ugh!_ Weighing the pros and cons, honestly half afraid that she would slip and break her neck if she went back down and half reluctant to tear herself from her stargazing activities, she opted to remain where she was. After all, her butt was sore, her head was buzzing and her back was burning. Not making an effort to move seemed a perfectly reasonable option at the moment. She shivered as she attempted to push away the cold. At least she was alone, which made things quiet.

"Chills Swan?"

Turning her head, she snapped back to reality. The sexy lilting voice had come from closer than she thought. Not more than ten feet away. How had he come all the way from the helm without her noticing? And wait, had she thought of his voice as sexy? _No… just no!_

"The cold can take quite a hold on you at night darling. Best cover up those curves of yours. Then again, I would much rather share my body heat to keep you warm." As he spoke he set the lantern he was holding on a crate, went to a wooden box nearby and lifted the lid to retrieve a warm blanket that looked so inviting at the moment that Emma let the comment slide, noting that the innuendo only sounded half-hearted anyway, as if spoken out habit rather than intent, the concentration and few pauses in his voice while searching for the blanket preventing him from infusing the words with their usual boldness.

"If only I could shut it out as easily as I do people", she muttered under her breath. Then she started as she heard the sound of his steps falter and stop for a moment before moving towards her again.

_Oh… my… god!_ How had THAT gotten past her walls? Recovering quickly, she covered it up by speaking again while sitting up carefully.

"That must be a first for you, trying to get a girl to cover up."

There was a pause and then she heard his soft chuckle.

"Gentleman, love" was his reply as he walked around her, placing the blanket on her shoulders gently.

As he came to stand in front of her, whatever he was going to say next was forgotten as he took notice of the nasty purple bruise on her forehead.

Soft and slow, nodding towards her and lifting a finger to point at his own forehead, he spoke. "You look like hell, love. What is this?"

She looked up at him, confused at the concern laced in his voice. "Wha… oh. It's nothing, just a bump", Emma said casually, waving it off with a flick of her hand. She realized her mistake when he kneeled down to her level, looking bewildered, his eyes fixed on her hand. Her bandaged hand. _Damn!_

As he made a grab for it, she quickly tried to retract it, wincing from the pain shooting through her shoulder. His head snapped up to hers, his eyes wide and face set in a stunned expression. She could swear she saw his eyes darken three shades in two seconds flat. Searching her eyes, then letting his gaze wander over her, his own eyes serious and calculating, seeming to catalogue her injuries, he finally locked them with hers again. "What else" came the words in a tone that brook no argument, his stare piercing and voice tight and raw. After a long stare down, finally acknowledging that he would not relent, begrudgingly, Emma dropped the blanket, turned slightly to the side and lifted the back of her shirt as high as her shoulder would allow, his hands joining hers to help, revealing the very prominent 8 inches long, 4 inches wide vertical friction burn on the lower part of her back.

He growled. Low and dangerous.

His jaw was locked tight. Suddenly getting up, pinning her down with a stare that told her she had better not move, he went below deck and when he came back, he was carrying a small wooden box filled with ointments, bandages and medical supplies.

Sitting in front of her, he started to gently remove the bandage on her hand. Tending to the burn, she couldn't help but be reminded of the beanstalk. Her musings were cut short, however, as he spoke again.

"Was it the crocodile?" The anger in his voice at the words was barely contained.

"No"

"Regina then?" he countered as he moved behind her to tend to her back. "I run a tight ship Emma. I will not tolerate a crewmember hurting another. You must tell me."

The gentleness of his touch contrasted with the hoarseness of his voice. "No, Regina did nothing" came her quiet answer.

She felt more than she heard the rumble in his chest behind her. "Seven Hells, lass! How did you manage to get your arse handed to you by not encountering a single enemy today?" She ignored the shiver that ran down her spine as his fingers splayed out on the skin of her back in a protective gesture before he resumed bandaging it.

After a short but heavy silence, Emma huffed and let out a frustrated grunt. "Roger" she muttered tightly. It was hard to admit. After all, she was nursing a bruised ego.

"Pardon lass?"

_Oh hell no._ Her emotions had reached a point where she couldn't contain them anymore. It had started slow… simmering as the day went, the angst being replaced disbelief and a sense of helplessness at her lack of control over the situation, bringing her right back to angst in a never ending cycle until he had gotten her to say it out loud, and now he was asking her to say it again. _Really?_

"Your damned ship kicked my ass that's what!" she let out forcefully as she turned to face him.

The look on his face said it all. Captain Hook had been stunned into silence. _Why? I've lashed out before, so why?_

Turning back to try to regain her composure, she reigned herself in. "I swear if objects had a will of their own I'd say it was doing it on purpose." She breathed out to no one in particular, staring into the distance and then looking down at her hand, pointedly inspecting her new bandage.

She couldn't see that his expression had gone deep in thought, nor could she see it eventually clear and morph into a small smirk.

"Well, maybe it's just trying to get your attention, love."

She snorted.

"Yeah? Like the schoolboy pulling the girl's pigtails and being a jerk because he doesn't know how else to get her attention?"

Silence.

Then he moves over to her side and feels her shoulder through her clothes to look for anything broken or out of place. After a short while, he speaks again.

"She's made from enchanted wood you know. She's alive with magic."

"Meaning?"

"Precisely what I said, in a way she is very much alive, with a personality that reflects..."

"What like Christine?" Emma asked, incredulous.

"Who love?"

"Nevermind" she said with a small shake of her head.

Seeming satisfied with her shoulder, he then lifted her chin up with his hook to inspect the bruise on her forehead. He reached for the box and took out a clean rag. He dipped it into water and wrung it. However when he applied it to the bruise she flinched away with a small hiss. Their eyes locked. His blue dove into her green and slowly, tentatively, she leaned back in to allow him to try again. He smiled at the gesture and she replied in kind, both aware of what it implied. She was showing him that she trusted him, in her own small way. This time, when the rag made contact, the coolness sent a wave of relief through her and her eyes closed as she let out the nervous breath she had been holding.

"What I mean is, she chose me as her captain, she will not let herself be commandeered by another until I die, renounce being a captain or stop caring properly for her. We share a three century old connection, she is an extension of me. She does my will and knows my deepest thoughts and desires".

Opening her eyes at the softness and longing in his voice at the last sentence, she looked up from behind her lashes, only to find that his expression mirrored the way he had spoken. She swallowed. "Your point?"

He carefully removed the rag and looked straight at her.

"We're not that different, my ship and I, in trying to get your attention."

He slowly leaned in, his mouth to her ear, barely brushing, hot breath sending jolts through her body.

"We like you love."

Her eyes shut tightly as his voice lowered an octave and took on a sensual, gravely quality. Taking a breath and savouring the moment, she eventually withdrew slightly to look at him.

The air was charged around them and she found she could not look away. _Oh god! What is happening to me. Stay strong Emma! _

Hook eventually broke the moment with a knowing smile, putting the supplies back in the box, standing and placing the box on a crate for the time being. When he looked back at her, he stopped and cocked his head to the side, giving her an appraising look. He picked up the lantern with the curve of his hook and offered her his hand.

The familiarity of the situation made her lips twitch. She took his hand without hesitating. He pulled her to her feet and as soon as she steadied herself he pulled on her hand and took her with him towards the stern of the ship.

"Come, let's go", he said to her and she recognised the exact same way he'd said it in the giant's lair, when he had first offered her his hand. With hope.

"What for" she asked, allowing herself to be pulled to the helm of the ship.

He turned back to her and the look he gave her in that instant was unmistakable. The double meaning behind his words was not meant to be hidden. No. It was clear as day.

"To tame the beast."

And she followed him. She went to him and he taught her how to handle his ship well into the night.

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Oooh, Killian offering to be tamed! The third chapter will be the last and will be titled "Kiss it better". Yup, you read that right! Would really appreciate your reviews!


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